There are conventional techniques allowing a player to save an image of a game space during a game and to see the image after the game, for example. In accordance with user instructions, conventional game devices save status information, which represents positions of game objects and virtual cameras, etc. After playing the game, game images are reproduced based on the status information, and the player and other people can see the game images.
With the conventional techniques, however, the degree of freedom of game images that can be saved is low, and it is difficult to save, and view afterwards, game images of a game space as viewed from a free range of viewing points (or viewing directions).
Therefore, the present specification discloses a game system, a game process method, a game device, and a storage medium storing a game program, with which it is possible to save game images of a game space as viewed from a freer range of viewing points and viewing directions.
(1)
An example game system described in the present specification includes a game device, a first controller device, and a second controller device.
The game device includes an operation data obtaining unit, a game process unit, a first camera setting unit, a first image generation unit, a first image output unit, a second camera setting unit, a second image generation unit, a second image output unit, and an image information storage unit. The operation data obtaining unit obtains first operation data from the first controller device and second operation data from the second controller device. The game process unit performs a predetermined game process based on the first operation data. The first camera setting unit sets a first virtual camera in a virtual game space. The first image generation unit generates a first game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera. The first image output unit outputs the first game image to a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device. The second camera setting unit sets, based on the second operation data, a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and is different from the first virtual camera. The second image generation unit generates a second game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera. The second image output unit outputs the second game image to the second controller device. The image information storage unit stores image information regarding the second game image in a predetermined storage device in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device.
The second controller device includes an image receiving unit and a display unit. The image receiving unit receives the second game image. The display unit displays the second game image.
The “game device” may be any device capable of performing the processes of the various units set forth above. The game device may be a single-purpose information processing device for games, or a general-purpose information processing device such as an ordinary personal computer.
The “first controller device” is a concept encompassing any controller device that can be operated by a player. The “first controller device” may be a portable game device, or the like, or may be the same device as the second controller device, as well as the controller of the embodiment to be described below. Where the “first controller device” includes a display unit, the display unit is used as the “predetermined display device”.
The “second controller device” is a concept encompassing a controller device that includes a display unit and can be operated by a player. The “second controller device” may be a portable game device, or the like, as well as the terminal device of the embodiment to be described below.
The “image information” may be any information as long as a terminal image can be generated based on the information. The “image information” may be an image itself (image data) as shown in the configuration (2) below, or may be information such that an image can be generated using the image information and a game program as shown in the configuration (3) below.
With the configuration (1) above, the second virtual camera, which is controlled using the second controller device, is set in the game space of a game that is played using the first controller device. Therefore, a player who is using the second controller device (referred to as the “second player”.) can operate the second virtual camera to thereby display, on the display unit of the second controller device, an image of the game space as viewed from a desired viewpoint and viewing direction, and to further save the image by a predetermined operation. Therefore, the second player can capture images in the game space from a freer range of viewpoints and save the game images, without being limited to the viewpoint (or the viewing direction) of the game image displayed on the predetermined display device for a player who is using the first controller device (referred to as the “first player”.). Moreover, with the configuration (1) above, since the saved image is displayed on the display unit of the second controller device, the second player can easily check images to be saved on the second controller device at hand, and can therefore more easily perform image-capturing (saving) operations.
(2)
The image information storage unit may store, as the image information, image data of the second game image.
With the configuration (2) above, since image data itself is stored as the image information, it is possible to display an image also on an information processing device that does not have the function of performing game processes.
(3)
The image information storage unit may store, as the image information, information such that the second game image can be generated using the information and a game program used for performing the predetermined game process.
The “information such that the second game image can be generated” may be, for example, game data such as positions and attitudes of various objects included in the second game image and the position and attitude of the virtual camera.
With the configuration (3) above, the amount of data to be stored can be reduced.
(4)
The image information storage unit may store image information regarding a plurality of second game images which together from a motion video in response to an execution of the predetermined operation.
With the configuration (4) above, a motion video of the game image can be stored.
(5)
The game device may further include a second object control unit for controlling a second object which moves in the game space based on the second operation data. Then, the second camera setting unit sets the second virtual camera based on a position of the second object.
With the configuration (5) above, since the second virtual camera moves in accordance with the movement of the second object, the second player can check the movement of the second virtual camera by checking the movement of the second object. Thus, the second player can more easily perform the game image-capturing (saving) operation.
(6)
The second object control unit may control the second object, independently of whether a predetermined object whose action is controlled by the game process and the second object have collided with each other.
The “predetermined object” may be an object whose action is controlled based on the first operation data (e.g., a player character), or an object whose action is automatically controlled by game processes (e.g., an enemy character).
With the configuration (6) above, since the second object has no influence on the game of the first player which proceeds based on the game processes described above, the first player can comfortably play the game without being hindered by the second object. Since the second object can freely move around in the game space without being influenced by the game of the first player, the second player can more easily perform the game image-capturing (saving) operation.
(7)
The second object control unit may control the second object in accordance with whether a predetermined object whose action is controlled by the game process and the second object have collided with each other.
With the configuration (7) above, since the second object is influenced by the predetermined object, it is possible to improve the gameplay of a game in which images are captured by controlling the second object and to provide a game with high playability. Also in the game of the first player which proceeds based on the game processes described above, the player needs to play the game taking into consideration the action of the second object, and it is therefore possible to realize a game with high quality in terms of the strategic aspect and the playability.
(8)
The first image generation unit may generate the first game image without rendering the second object when the second object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.
With the configuration (8) above, since the second object is not displayed on the predetermined display device, the first player, who plays the game looking at the predetermined display device, can play the game without paying attention to the second object. That is, since the second object has no influence on the display of the game of the first player, the first player can play the game without being hindered by the second object.
(9)
The first image generation unit may generate the first game image which includes an image of the second object when the second object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.
With the configuration (9) above, since the second object is displayed on the predetermined display device, the first player, who plays the game looking at the predetermined display device, can play the game while paying attention to the second object. Then, the first player can grasp the position of the second virtual camera in the game, and can therefore play the game while taking into consideration the image-capturing operation by the second object by, for example, allowing the second object to capture an image of the player character from a desired angle. Therefore, the first player and the second player can cooperate with each other to capture (save) desired game images, and it is thus possible to provide a game with higher playability. In a case in which the configurations (6) and (9) above are combined together, it is possible to provide a novel game with high playability in which different players can cooperate with each other for capturing game images while the games of the players do not influence each other.
(10)
The second camera setting unit may set the second virtual camera so that the second object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera when an attitude of a screen of the display unit is closer to being horizontal than a predetermined reference. The second camera setting unit may set the second virtual camera so that a viewpoint is at the second object when the attitude of the screen of the display unit is closer to being vertical than the predetermined reference.
With the configuration (10) above, when the attitude of the screen of the second controller device is close to being horizontal, a game image suitable for operations of moving the second object is displayed on the display unit, whereas when the attitude of the screen of the second controller device is close to being vertical, a game image suitable for operations of capturing game images is displayed on the display unit. Then, the second player can hold the screen of the second controller device in a horizontal position when moving the second object (second virtual camera) so that the second player can perform operations without getting the arms tired. As the second player holds the screen of the second controller device in a vertical position when performing an operation of capturing a game image, the second player can operate the second controller device as if it were an actual camera. Therefore, with the configuration (10) above, it is possible to improve the controllability in movement operations and image-capturing operations using the second controller device, and to easily switch between two different types of operations.
(11)
The game process unit may perform a game process for controlling an action of a predetermined first object based on the first operation data. Then, the second image generation unit generates a second game image including an image of the first object when the first object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera.
With the configuration (11) above, the second player can capture a game image including the first object, which is an object controlled by the first player. Even when a game image in so-called “first person” perspective (a game image as viewed from the first object) is displayed on the predetermined display device, it is possible with the configuration (11) above to capture a game image with the first object therein as viewed from a different position.
(12)
The game device may further include an attitude calculation unit for calculating an attitude of the second controller device. Then, the second camera setting unit sets an attitude of the second virtual camera based on the attitude of the second controller device.
With the configuration (12) above, the second player can change the image-capturing direction by changing the direction of the second virtual camera in accordance with the attitude of the second controller device, and can change the image-capturing direction by an intuitive and easy operation.
(13)
The second controller device may include an input device capable of direction input, and output second operation data which represents the direction input. Then, the second camera setting unit sets a position of the second virtual camera based on the second operation data.
With the configuration (13) above, the second player can easily move the second virtual camera using the input device.
(14)
Another example game system described in the present specification includes a game device, a first controller device, and a second controller device. The game system includes a game process unit, a first camera setting unit, a first image generation unit, a second camera setting unit, a second image generation unit, and an image information storage unit. The game process unit performs a predetermined game process based on first operation data representing an operation on the first controller device. The first camera setting unit sets a first virtual camera in a game space. The first image generation unit generates a first game image, which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the first virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a predetermined display device separate from the second controller device. The second camera setting unit sets a second virtual camera which is arranged in the game space and is different from the first virtual camera based on the second operation data representing an operation on the second controller device. The second image generation unit generates a second game image which is a game image representing the game space as viewed from the second virtual camera and is a game image to be displayed on a display unit of the second controller device. The image information storage unit stores, in a predetermined storage device, image information regarding the second game image in response to an execution of a predetermined operation on the second controller device.
With the configuration (14) above, as with the configuration (1) above, the second virtual camera, which is controlled using the second controller device, is set in the game space of a game played using the first controller device. Therefore, the second player using the second controller device can operate the second virtual camera so as to display an image of the game space as viewed from a desired viewpoint and viewing direction on the display unit of the second controller device, and also to save the image by a predetermined operation. Thus, with the configuration (14) above, as with the configuration (1) above, the second player can capture images of the game space from a freer range of viewpoints, and save the game images. The second player can easily check images to be saved on the second controller device at hand, and can therefore more easily perform image-capturing (saving) operations.
The present specification also discloses an example game device included in the game systems of (1) to (14) above. The present specification also discloses an example non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing a game program which causes a computer of the game device to function as various units equivalent to those of the game device (which may not include the operation data obtaining unit and the image output units). The present specification also discloses a game process method to be carried out in the game system of the game device of (1) to (14) above.
With the game system, the game device, the storage medium storing a game program, and the game process method set forth above, a second virtual camera is set in the game space of the game played using the first controller device, wherein the second virtual camera is controlled by operations performed on the second controller device, and game images generated by the second virtual camera are saved in response to a predetermined operation. Therefore, the player using the second controller device can capture images in the game space from a freer range of viewpoints and save the game images, without being limited to the viewpoint of the game image displayed on the predetermined display device.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.